A fluttering or tremulous sound, as that made by certain birds; a warble.
Music
a. The rapid alternation of two tones either a whole or a half tone apart.
b. A vibrato.
Linguistics
a. A rapid vibration of one speech organ against another, as of the tongue against the alveolar ridge in Spanish rr.
b. A speech sound pronounced with such a vibration.
trill
n.- A fluttering or tremulous sound, as that made by certain birds; a warble.
- Music
a. The rapid alternation of two tones either a whole or a half tone apart.b. A vibrato.
- Linguistics
a. A rapid vibration of one speech organ against another, as of the tongue against the alveolar ridge in Spanish rr.b. A speech sound pronounced with such a vibration.
v. trilled, tril·ling, trills
v.tr.
v.intr.
To produce or give forth a trill.
[Italian trillo, from trillare, to trill, probably ultimately of imitative origin.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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